It seems ironic yet it could be destiny. After quietly establishing an impressive world music catalogue for much of the ’90s, the New York-based Putumayo label is finally drilling on its own shores – i.e. the Gulf Coast shores of Louisiana – with two new releases, Zydeco and Louisiana Gumbo. Though it’s been a long journey, it’s all evolved naturally into a pretty hefty ten million dollars a year in record sales. The original Putumayo enterprise, founded in the ’70s, was a chain of international clothing and boutique stores. When CEO Dan Storper began playing home-recorded tapes of ethnic folk music as part of the retail ambience, customers began clamoring for what they heard overhead. The rest, they say, is history as Storper soon shifted into creating and marketing some of the industry’s best world music collections.

The company, christened after a Colombian River valley, has grown steadily since their first release in 1993. Several have actually sold more than 100,000 copies, not a feat to sneeze at when an indie best seller nets one-tenth of that. Many of Putumayo’s releases follow a theme like how Celtic and African music have converged somewhat in the modern age (Dublin to Dakar: A Celtic Odyssey) or the richness of musics emanating from Cuba (Cuba), Brazil (Brasileiro) and even Cape Verde (Cape Verde). One of their most recent releases, New World Party, documents how diverse cultures are benefiting from global interaction and state-of-the-art communications. Before a song is selected, it’s been through a laborious listening process, culled from hundreds of candidates. Since a good source recording is paramount, there’s never an issue with marginal sound quality. Additionally, Putumayo has released full-length discs of artists such as Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, who toured with Africa Fete last summer and Congolese artist Ricardo Lemvo and his Afro-Cuban ensemble, Makina Loca.

So why Louisiana when the bread and butter has always come from other coastlines? “The interesting thing about these two albums is that they come from somewhat related traditions,” says Storper. “But zydeco, over time, has clearly incorporated elements of Caribbean, African, European and other types of music mixed in with R&B and blues. So I look at zydeco in a certain sense as the world music of America.”

Thus far, it’s been a yearlong focus on Louisiana. Last year a Louisiana music segment, along with the tropical music of Brazil, was featured on one of Storper’s newest creations, the Putumayo World Music Radio Hour. “Two cultures known for celebrating,” Storper muses. The well-researched show is a weekly syndicated program of accessible world music heard in over 70 markets including local stations WWOZ, KSLU in Hammond and KRVS in Lafayette.

On January 27, the company celebrated a record release party at Uptown Tippitina’s with Cyril Neville, Eddie Bo, zydeco starlet Rosie Ledet and zydeco’s best showman Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.  Currently, there are plans for a Jazz Fest collection, CD, video and DVD, as well as a Cajun album sometime in the year 2001. By doing these projects, Storper has long recognized the beauty of the state that distinguishes itself from the rest of America, which he jokingly refers to as ‘Generica.’ “Louisiana represents a place to America and the world with cultural traditions that are preserved and brought into the modern era as a showplace,” says Storper.

In preparing the pair of Louisiana releases, Storper has his Putumayo marketing machinery ready. Though the products are available in traditional record outlets, Putumayo gets plenty of mileage from unorthodox outlets ranging from gift stores and cafés to antique, clothing and import handicraft stores. (Storper estimates that non-traditional outlets account for 40% of total sales.) Retailers receive in-store play copies and oftentimes there is a counter display holding 24 or 48 discs to beckon last minute purchases. To develop the local market, Putumayo will have a local rep cultivate the area.

The marketing strategy that launched the slogan ‘guaranteed to make you feel good’ goes even further for that warm, fuzzy sensation. Each CD comes boldly with a no-risk ten-day trial offer, which means if a customer is ever dissatisfied with a Putumayo product they can return it (with receipt) for a full refund. “The idea is that we don’t want people to feel like they are taking a chance,” says Storper who adds that his staff thought he was bonkers when he proposed the policy. “We have gotten only two back for an entire year.”

Not bad. Along with the attractive pseudo-folk art covers, this deuce of discs should draw more listeners to a genre Storper feels is a crown jewel of America. Although Louisiana Gumbo does track the Neville Brothers’ “VooDoo” from their seminal Yellow Moon album, there are plenty of surprises here too. Instead of the usual Professor Longhair piano track, there’s a swinging Eddie Bo track, “Piano Roll,” and another rollicking ivory selection, “African Gumbo,” from James Booker’s lost Paramount sessions. On the R&B side, “It Ain’t the Same Thing” comes from the honey-smooth voice of Johnny Adams, his final album, while vocalist Carol Fran and guitarist Clarence Hollimon literally do pop on “Door Poppin.’” Like other Putumayo projects, there’re always cuts from the known and the unknown. In the case of the latter, Charles Sheffield, the Lake Charles bluesman, opens with the infectious “It’s Your VooDoo Working” that nearly netted him the brass ring in ’61. Recorded at Jay Miller’s Crowley studio, Sheffield’s sidemen included piano pumper Katie Webster and swamp popper Warren Storm behind the traps. Less obscure than Sheffield but not quite a household name is Rockie Charles, a guitarist and silky vocalist who renders an euphoric feeling on “Festis Believes in Justice.” Interestingly, three zydeco artists appear on this collection, Clifton Chenier (“Ti Na Na”), Lynn August (“Lead Me On”) and Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. covering “I’m Coming Home,” a song that Chenier sang regularly during his final years. It is puzzling why no brass bands are included but nevertheless Gumbo is a pleasing collection.

With the cover depicting young suave Creole musicians (oh, that rubboard dude has a leering look in his eye), Zydeco should intrigue the nouveau listener. The collection highlights the music’s stalwarts, first-generation artists/stylists and contemporary artists alike while maintaining an upbeat, jovial atmosphere throughout. No such collection is complete without a Clifton Chenier cut and the party roaring “Calinda” is a dandy. So are Jude Taylor’s instrumental “Burnin’ Flames Special” and the Creole Zydeco Farmer’s finger snappin’ “Creole Farmers Stomp.” Queen Ida’s Fats Domino cover “My Girl Josephine” percolates with a light island feel; Geno Delafose’s version of his father’s “Bye Bye Mon Nèg” is experiencing a revival with the younger generation. It’s interesting to note the variety of vocalists: Nathan Williams stages a grandstand performance on the touching soulful ballad “I’m In Love;” Beau Jocque and his sandpapery voice conveys his angst on the slow riding blues tune “What You Gonna Do?” On the nouveau side, there’re Chris Ardoin, Keith Frank and Rosie Ledet. The Ledet track is particularly engaging as “You’re No Good For Me,” from her ’94 debut, shows she was a powerhouse vocalist from the beginning. Like other Putumayo discs, both the Zydeco and Gumbo liner notes educate and simplify their respective topics. With Putumayo charting bayou waters, the mystiques of Louisiana will likely reach new disciples.